I have had conversations in the past, most recently over the weekend, with people who for some reason believe African Americans don’t work hard enough and that is simply the reason they don’t get nominations or eventually win. Those people usually go on to cite comedies and Tyler Perry movies as examples, forgetting that there is a category for those type of movies and it is okay to make them too. The numbers in the cinemas support this.

And while I would like to point out that there is nothing wrong with making “silly” comedies, that is not why we are here.

However, if you do follow good American movies, then you would strongly disagree that African Americans don’t work hard enough for Oscar nominations.

Or perhaps the Academy is just mad Black people have started taking up roles other than the ones for Maids or Slaves/subservient roles that half of the Black Oscar winners have won the award for?

You may remember that the first ever black person (Hattie McDaniel) to win an Oscar, while sitting at a segregated table because racism reigned supreme in America at the time, won for playing a maid in the movie Gone With The Wind.

Actually, McDaniel played a Maid/Servant through most of her career, causing the black community to question her decision to continue to portray African Americans in the light they were trying to shed. However, while the Black community was strongly against the role, white America seemed elated that she’d chosen to be that person – it was the roles they sent her way till she died and was not allowed to be buried where she would have loved because of the color of her skin.

Years later, there have been movies like Selma, Creed, Dope, Straight Outta Compton and numerous other well made movies starring black leads giving extraordinary performances.

But do they get a nod? No.

Ava Duvernay did not get a nod for best director even after making one of the best movies (Selma) in the year 2014/2015. Ryan Coogler did not get a nod for scripting and directing Creed, Jason Mitchell who must have made Eazy E proud wherever he is did not get a nod for the amazing performance he gave in Straight Outta Compton. And let’s not forget how interesting it was that David Oyelowo did not get an Oscar for his beautiful portrayal of Martin Luther King in Selma.

Now, aren’t those good enough performances? Or are they going to be taken a bit more seriously if they played maids/slaves getting their asses whooped instead?

Because these movies would have gotten nominations in their respective categories if they were white. Yup, I said that.

Meanwhile, let’s not forget that these Black movies this year only got nominated for the Caucasian people who were a part of it. For example, Sylvester Stallone getting a nod in Creed and the White Writers getting a nod for Screenplay for Straight Outta Compton.

Now as for the people who say Blacks keep “bitchin” and “whining” because they don’t get nominations, I say, yes. Let them.

And yes, they also deserveto be nominated for every great performances they give, because unlike their Caucasian counterparts, they have not been given the recognition they deserve over the years. 31 Oscars placed side by side 2916 wins is clearly not equal from where I see it.

TNS Quote

As a director, I am a disciplinarian. I have no room for posers. If you want to pose, you go somewhere else. I am not interested in the star, I am interested in the artist. I am interested in the person who will do the job.